On August 20, 2026, the grand opening of the first Commonwealth of Independent States Volunteer Forum took place in Astana, Kazakhstan. This large-scale international event brought together volunteer movement leaders, government officials, and representatives of youth organizations from all CIS member countries. In total, approximately 300 delegates from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are participating in the forum.
The key theme of the forum is "Unity through Volunteering: Partnership, Trust, Development." The event was established at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, by a decision of the Council of CIS Heads of Government as an annual platform for consolidating volunteer initiatives and sharing best practices among the CIS countries.
The official delegation from the Republic of Belarus includes Anastasia Burko, a student at Brest State Technical University and chair of the student volunteer group "Prizvanie."
The two-day forum will feature panel sessions, thematic discussions, and presentations of successful volunteer practices. Particular attention will be paid to developing interstate cooperation and joint initiatives in the areas of ecology, social and inclusive support, and youth volunteering.
